Match case



.Fume 19, 1923.

s. SPRAGUE MATCH CASE Filed Dec. 28. 1921 W/T/VESSES 'Hfwi/? 7,6%

Patented .lune 19, 1.923..

SIDNEY SPRAGUE, F

u. f Marce CASE.

Application led December 28, 1921. Serial No. 525,292.

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY SPRAGUE, a Subject of the King of Great Britain, and la resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new andlmproved Match Case, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact `of reference, designates thebody of the description. p

This invention relates to match cases or 10 containers and refers more'particularly to dispensing containers for matches.

The invention contemplates for its principal object to provide a match case or container for dispensing thev contents thereof to deliver the matches singly therefrom.

A further object in view resides in the provision of means for igniting the match coincident with its delivery whereby the case may be employed as a holder for the lighted match to preclude the possibility of burning the fingers. y

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of means for discarding or ejecting the used match, and means for returning the operating kparts to normal position. i

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a case of the character described which may be used inconnection with either the common form offriction matches or safety matches. y

Another object in view resides inv the provision of a match case of thecharacter described which is comparatively simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture `and which is thoroughly reliable and eflicient in its operation,

`With the' above recited and other objects in view, the invention `resides in the novel construction, combinationv and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fgure l is a side elevation ofthe match case' constructedy in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away and shown in section to disclose the underlying structure., the elementsy being shown in normal or closed position` g. i

Fig. 2` is a fragmentary horizontal sectionalview taken approximately on theline .2e-42 of Fig; 1. f

Fig. `3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line Sk ofv Fig. 1.

' Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through thelmatch receiving and delivery housing.

Referring to the drawings by characters container having hinged to one side edge thereof the outer cover 11 which is normally retained in place by any suitable form of friction `catch 12. The container body is provided with an inner supply chamberl formed by the flanges 14 and the inner cover member` 15 which is hinged to one end ofthe kbody as at 16. The supply chamber is of a size in transversesection to snugly accomrnodate a single match and is of a length to` accommodate a large supply ofmatches arranged parallel and in alignment.` The forward end of the chamber terminates .an appreciable distance from the forward end of the case and a match receiving and housing member 17 is pivoted to they flange 18 at the forward end thereof as at 19. The housing member 17 is of U-shaped formation in cross section with its open side disposed toward the open end ofthe supply chamber, the

same being'` slightly lessrin length than the width of a single match. The rear wall of the container body 'is slotted as at 20 from a point above the pivot 19 to the lower wall ythereof and the outer cover member 11 is slotted from a point below thepivot 19 to its upper end whereby to permit of the turning of the housing member 17 on its pivot to a position substantially at a right angle to the major axis of the container. A leaf spring 22 is secured to the rear wall of the container body and the free terminal 23 thereof is positioned to engage andexert a pressure` on the `forward end wall of the housing member 17 above its pivotal point.

A combined striker and retaining plate 24 is mounted on the forward extremityof a longitudinally slidable and rotatable shaft l25 mounted in the bearing 26 which is provided within the upper portion of the kcontainer body, "The rear extremity of the Shaft 25 is lprovided with anenlarged head 27 and a coil expansion spring 28 encircles the shaft 25 and is disposed between the head 27 and the rearend of the bearing 26 OFFICE.

Cil

' inner rearwall of the chamber.

to normally eXert a tension to shift the shaft rearwardly. The striking and retaining plate'l is Iprovided with a rearwardly projecting lug 29 which when the parts are in normal position engages under one edge of the slotted portion 2l of the outer cover member. The inner surface of the plate 2a is provided with serrations BO, or if desired may be provided with a removable strilrer strip in lieu thereof. The inner end of the supply chamber 13 has mounted therein a follower plate 31 and a leaf spring 32 of any desired coniguration is interposed between the rear surface of the follower platean-d the This :1rrangement serves to normally force the sup-l ply of matches toward the forward end of the case and to singly feed the end of the match into the match receiving and housing member 17. The upper end of the housing is provided with an extension 33 which extends approximately up to the head of the mat-ch to backeup the same and prevent breaking thereof during the striking operation.

The operation 'of the device is as follows: To obtain a match, user presses the head 27 of the shaft 25 forwardly against the action of the spring 28 thereby moving the striking and retaining plate 2liforwardly to disengage the lug 29 from the slotted edge of the outer cover 11. lV hen the lug 529 is disengaged the leaf spring 22 will exert a tension on the housing 17 thereby swinging the same and forcibly moving the head of the match over the innei1 serrated face of the plate 9A to ignite the same. The user then employs the case as a means for supporting the lighted match to carry out the desired purpose. When it is desired to discard the used match the handle 34 of the ejector which is slidably mounted in the slot 36 shifted to dislodge the match from the hous ing. The housing 17 is then returned to normal position and the plate 2% swung downwardly to dispose the lug 29 under `the slotted edge of the -outer cover, the spring 28 functioning to return the shaft 25 to norA mal position. To iill the case, the friction catch L2 is manipulated to release the outer cover and the inner cover l5 is free to be opened for lreplenishing thel supply of matches to the supply chamber.

Y It will thus be seen that a simple and efiicient match case is provided which operates to .singly deliver a lighted match to lthe user by simply pressing the head 27.

Having thus described my invention, what I `claim is:

l. A match case comprising an open ended supply chamber adapted to receive a plurality of` matches, a match receiving member pivoted adjacent said open end, means fo r retaining said receiving member in Aa position to receive the matches from the open end of said supply chamber, means for advancing the supply `toward said open end and forcing the outermost match into said receiving member, and means for releasing said retaining means to deliver the match to ,the user.

2. A match -case comprising an open ended supply chamber adapted to receive a plurality of matches, a match receiving member pivoted 'adjacent said open end, means for `retaining said receiving` member in a position to receive the matches from the open end of said supply chamber, means for advancing the supply toward said open end and forcing the outermost match into said receiving member, and means for releasing said retaining vmeans to y.deliver the match to the user, and means for igniting the match during the delivery operation. y

3. A match case comprising an openended supply chamber adapted to receive a plurality of matches, said chamber consisting of hingedly connected sections and meansifor retaining the same in closed position, a match receiving member consisting of a channel shaped bar pivoted adjacent the open end of the supply chamber with the openfside confronting the openend of the supply chamber, means for turning said receiving member at an angle to the supply chamber, a swinging and slidable plate engaging the supply chamber for holding the receiving member Vagainst turning movement, means for advancing the supply to ward said open end and for forcing the outermost match into the 'receiving member, and means for releasing the sliding and swinging plate to permit theJ receiving member to assume its angular position.

4t.' A match case comprising an open ended supply chamber adapted to receive a plurality of matches, said chamber consisting of hingedly connected sections, and means for retaining the same in closed position, a match receiving member consisting of a channel shaped bar pivoted adjacent the open end of the supply chamber with the open side confronting vthe open end of the supply chamber, means for turning said receiving member at an angle vto the supply chamber, aswinging and slidable plate engaging the supply chamber for holding the.

receiving member against turning -vmovement, means for advancing the supply toward said open end and for forcing the outermost match into the receiving member, means for releasing the sliding and swing ing plate to permit the receiving member to assume its angular position, and abrasive means on the inner face of the plate over whichthe head of the match is adaptedto wipe during the turning of the receiving member to effect the ignition thereof.

5. A match case comprising an open ended supply chamber adapted to receive a plurality of matches, said chamber consistmeans for retaining the same in closed position, a match receiving member consisting of a channel shaped bar pivoted adjacent the open end of the supply `chamber With the open side confronting the open end of the supply chamber, means for turning said receiving member at an angle to the supply chamber, a swinging and slidable plate engaging the supply c amber for holding the p receiving member against turning movement7 means for advancing the supply to- `Ward said open end and for forcing the outermost match into the receiving member, means `for releasing the sliding and swinging plate to permit the receiving member to assume its angular position, abrasive means on the inner face of the plate over which the head of the match is adapted to Wipe during the turning 4of the receiving member to effect the ignition thereofyand means on the receiving member for engaging and ejecting the match therefrom after use.

SIDNEY .SPRAGUE 

